Editor's note

Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos made headlines during her confirmation hearings when she cited the possible need for guns to defend some schools from grizzly bears. Though her comments brought rural schools into the spotlight in unprecedented ways, little was said of how DeVos’ pro-charter school agenda might impact rural communities. Continuing our series on rural America, Karen Eppley, of Penn State’s Center on Rural Education and Communities, explains the unique case of rural charter schools and how their development can play a vital role in the social and economic fabric of rural communities.

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Kaitlyn Chantry

Editor

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Rural schools are an often overlooked part of the public education system. Sascha Erni/flickr

The unique case for rural charter schools

Karen Eppley, Pennsylvania State University

Nationwide, 16 percent of charter schools are rural. Yet, somehow these key players are often overlooked.

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